June 17, 2017

Did you know that in Cambodia, the level at which you hold your hands up is correlated with the amount to respect you show? Sampeah is the traditional form of greeting. You place your palms together (like for Reverse Phalen's Test). Hands are held at chest level when greeting friends, at chin level when greeting superiors and teachers, at nose level when greeting parents or grandparents, and at eyebrow level when greeting monks and royalty. So the higher the hands, the more respect. Similarly in Japan, the level at which you bow is correlated with respect. The deeper the bow, the more respect you show. Cool huh? You can also say hello and goodbye when you hold your hands up. In Khmer, hello is choum reap sor and goodbye is choum reap lir.